Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - Half of the twelve North Rhine-Westphalian ministries need new signs. Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) has given six ministries in his black-green coalition a new design. On Monday, the house of the new Economics Minister Mona Neubaur (Greens) in the Mannesmann high-rise in Düsseldorf was relabelled. The front door now reads: "Ministry of Economics, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy".
Neubaur said goodbye to her predecessor Andreas Pinkwart. The 61-year-old FDP politician has been Minister for Economics, Innovation, Digitization and Energy since 2017.
Neubaur spoke of enormous tasks. "We must free ourselves from energy dependence on Russia as quickly as possible, while at the same time ensuring the energy supply for citizens as well as for companies," she affirmed to her new employees.
The Ministry of Climate Protection must quickly set the course and consistently pursue the limitation of global warming. "North Rhine-Westphalia will only remain internationally competitive and secure jobs as a climate-neutral industrial state," said the Green Party.
In an interview with radio NRW, Neubaur called on all citizens to save as much energy as possible. "Every kilowatt hour counts," she emphasized. At the same time, the state and federal government are in talks about targeted relief in view of rising energy prices.
